Alexandra Tanner

AVP Digital Marketing & eCommerce, Color&Co by L’Oreal

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Tell us about where you work & what you do there.

I am an AVP of Digital Marketing & eCommerce at Color&Co, a direct-to-consumer personalized hair color brand that I helped launch at L’Oreal in 2019. I’ve been with L’Oreal for close to nine years and moved from my hometown of Montreal to New York City with the company in 2014, which was a dream come true. I have had the pleasure to work on some of the most iconic brands within our portfolio: Armani Beauty, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, and Lancôme. It has been a whirlwind to experience firsthand the company’s speed of digital acceleration over these last few years. The willingness to reinvent the future of beauty is alive within L’Oreal’s culture.

How would you describe yourself?

I am insatiably curious with varied interests that I try to satisfy through reading, listening to podcasts, and a borderline-unhealthy amount of time spent online. I am also the Co-chair of StartOut New York, a non-profit that is dedicated to increasing the diversity and impact of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs through funding, mentorship, and networking. I live with my wife, Michelle, and our chatty cat, Pancetta, in Manhattan.

Inspiration is perishable; I need to harness these fleeting moments of idea flow.

Alexandra Tanner

AVP Digital Marketing & eCommerce, Color&Co by L’Oreal

What do you think has been your biggest professional success so far?

Launching Color&Co Personalized Hair Color (www.colorandco.com) was a huge professional milestone for me, along with the larger team that helped to create the business. Although the project was funded and supported by L’Oreal, it was the closest experience to true entrepreneurship that I’ve ever had. We started from a blank slate concept and then had to build everything from the ground up. There was some fun along the way, but a lot of very complex problem solving that happened in real time. With a compressed timeline to launch and an ambitious set of features and product customization to complete, I often used the analogy that we were building a plane that was already in the air.

Where do you find inspiration?

I love a good gathering of creative, entrepreneurial people to get my creative juices flowing. Wine also helps. Other sources of inspiration come from my daily reads: WWD, 2pm.com, Twitter, Vogue Business, and Martha Stewart Living (the OG). I try to remind myself that inspiration is perishable, and that I need to harness these fleeting moments of idea flow and turn them into actions.

Name an eCommerce brand you admire and why.

M.M.LaFleur. I have admired the brand from afar for a few years, but recently decided to order a few pieces. The whole customer journey felt luxurious and uncluttered, and the quality of the clothes did not disappoint. I also like this idea of having fewer, better pieces in my wardrobe that last a long time versus the merry-go-round of fast fashion. In addition to their stellar site and logistics, I had a great in-person experience at their Bryant Park showroom, where I was styled to find a few pieces to complement some staples I had purchased online. The experience was exemplary of seamless omnichannel commerce with a personal touch. 11/10, would recommend.

We’re curating an honoree playlist featuring all of your favorite songs! Name your top three.

What do you geek out over?

A good checkout experience, Six Sigma efficiency, Bo’s Bagels in Harlem, The Pursuit at Equinox, Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

TikTok. I downloaded the app in October and have found myself so addicted that I’ve had to set daily screen time limits. It’s truly immersive and reminds me of a purer time when I found joy and lightness on social media. I know I am likely giving away valuable personal information to the Chinese government through my usage, but it’s a deal that I’m prepared to make for that sweet Gen Z content.